We are a worldwide travel agency based in Canada, providing personal service to a global community.
Tell us about yourself?
I have a background/degree in Marine Biology, and I also spent a number of years working as a youth pastor, but I have always been drawn to sales/business. In 1999, I had the opportunity to try my hand at sales with a travel business that my retired father was consulting at the time. It worked out well, and within three years, I was running my own agency, KVI Travel.
If you could go back in time a year or two, what piece of advice would you give yourself?
This pandemic is going to last a long time – be prepared!
What problem does your business solve?
The problem of how to best spend your hard-earned free time and money in a way that will relax, recharge, invigorate, and create happy memories that will last a lifetime.
What is the inspiration behind your business?
Travel makes us come alive. It fuels our passions, enriches our souls, and inspires us to love the world. The problem it solves is our predisposition to isolation, xenophobia, and ennui. KVI Travel seeks to cure these.
What is your magic sauce?
More and more agencies are trying the impersonal ‘book it online’ approach. KVI Travel goes in the opposite direction. Our website drives visitors to connect with a personal KVI Travel Agent. We have one of the most experienced teams of travel agents in the business. With over 3,000 years worth of combined travel industry experience, our team of over 100 agents spread across 17 countries works together to curate perfect travel experiences for each of our clients. And the biggest secret is that we find better accommodations and amenities in better ships/hotels/resorts for lower prices than can be found on the big online travel agency sites.
What is the plan for the next 5 years? What do you want to achieve?
To continue to build the world’s best team of travel agents and to show more and more clients the value of booking with the KVI Travel brand.
What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced so far?
The pandemic. But it has also been very rewarding. A huge number of agencies closed, many for good. KVI Travel doubled down – we invested in our team, in training, and in welcoming in agencies that couldn’t afford to stand on their own. It cost us a fortune, but we’ve come out the other side better than ever.
How can people get involved?
For clients, find a KVI agent near you at www.kvi.travel
For agents interested in joining our team, visit our agent website at www.kviagents.com